26th The 60D is announced - signifying a 'redirection' for the XXD range - sitting between the XXXD and 1.6 crop XD.

22nd With the 60D expected next week, it's interesting to note the way that almost all our XXD info from a few years ago was predicated on 12 or at most 18 month cycles - it's been 24 months for the 60D

So, is the 80D set for a pre photokina announcement in 2014 with the big news at the show being the 5D Mk4?

30th Already we have the first thread on the 70D at DPR some time in late 2009

(predicted content ;-)

#1 Have you seen this?
#2 What do they know
#3 FAKE!
#4 Could you elaborate on xxx
#5 Jeez, cant you people just get out more
#6 You don't have to read it
#7 Those that really know can't say
#8 70D AF issues
#9 Is that all?
#10 I'm switching to Nikon/Sony
#11 It probably back / front focuses
#12 What still no built in pro AF
#13 Why not 1.3 crop all cameras should be 1.3 crop
#14 Why not full frame - Canon are ripping is off again
#15 Its going to be so noisy I'll have to keep my 10D
#16 The more MP are a waste, the lenses can't resolve that
#17 It's all lies from from crazy fan boy
#18 What, no built in IS:
#19 I'll have to be the first to own one
#20 Why would anyone want one

Here's our recent [2008!] techy hints we had from one of our more detailed sources

"The 50D sensor and image processing are a major step forward in what has been a multi-year strategy for Canon to take sensor technology to the limits of physics, simultaneously achieving higher ISOs, lower noise and higher dynamic range. Note Chuck Westall’s announcement that the 50D sensor has 1 to 1 and a half stops better noise than the 40D sensor despite the smaller pixels. Several core strategies have been pursued simultaneously for this:

Reducing the micro lens gap to capture all the light hitting the sensor. This has been highlighted in the 40D, 1D III and 1Ds III sensors and the new 50D sensor now achieves effective 100% coverage. Only very minor improvements are expected from this point on (e.g. shaping the lenses towards the corners of the frame to capture angled light.

Reducing the noise level of each pixel. Canon have made changes over several generations of sensors to achieve this, bringing the amplifiers closer to each pixel, changing micro-circuit configuration and lowering voltages so the sensor runs colder. Again the design of the 50D is a big step forward here from the 40D and 1D III etc. Canon have one more big jump lined up, with low voltage cold running CMOS designs to gain at least an additional stop in lower noise at higher ISOs or long exposures.

Better digital noise reduction. These are the changes in DIGIC noise processing. First with the Chroma Noise reduction in DIGIC III and now with more advanced multi-level noise reduction options in DIGIC IV. Canon believe they have made most of the gains possible via processing algorithms but do still have some areas to develop. The next focus will be faster noise reduction processing so that it does not come at an impact on frame burst rates (look to the 1D3 replacement for example)

Pixel binning for high ISOs. A new technology enabled by the complexity and processing power of DIGIC IV where they can bin 2, 4 or 8 pixels together at the raw level and average out the noise between them. This is seen by Canon as a key technology in balancing very high resolution sensors (in the 50mp range) with low noise at very high ISOs. Right now they are not pushing this too much with the 50D so as to not create confusion in the market (they see more potential for the technology as sensors get larger and in the pro-market).

Increased image resolution – This is a newer strategy (most evident on the 450D where they have changed the anti-aliasing filter (thinner and closer etc) so as to achieve a crisper image per pixel without loosing the benefits of anti-aliasing filter on diagonal edges etc.. The 50D has the same technology. One further option for the future is for Canon to drop the anti aliasing physical filter and do it in a future DIGIC generation where there can be smarter allocation of colour values than the blurring achieved by a light based filter.

Increased raw bit depth for improved dynamic range. Here Canon have made the jump to 14 bit and will move to 16 bit in their future sensor technology generations. Canon see the main usage of extra bit depth as providing the dynamic range to translate the sensor image into a printable or viewable image with a higher dynamic range. In other words mapping the 14 or 16 bits into an 8 bit viewable or printable image that mimics the dynamic range in the scene.

Dynamic range preservation options – Canon are putting a lot of focus into how to provide the photographer with the best options for preserving the dynamic range of the original image in both a RAW file and the 8 bit JPEG. The highlight tone preservation option on the 40D, 1D III etc was the first step. The new 'automatic brightness' options in the 50D are another, where they try and optimise the brightness of various parts of the image to reduce the dullness from shadows. Canon are planning much more in this area, down to the equivalent of varying the ISO level across the different parts of the sensor when the image is taken (easier in live view mode of course).

So what does this mean?

The 50D DIGIC IV sensor and image processing technology is felt to be Canon’s biggest jump in many years.

The same technology will allow a 21-25mp FF sensor to have 1 to 1.5 stops better noise performance than the 3 year old 12mp sensor in the 5D.

Canon are not going to watch market share be lost in the 1D range to Nikon and are actively planning to incorporate this technology in the 1 series as well, sooner than many might expect.

Canon have hit the limits on light gathering but believe there is a good 1 to 1.5 stops lower noise still to be achieved at the physical electrical level before they reach the limits of physics (background noise due to heat etc) and are working on the circuit design for this (native 12800 being one goal)

The other technologies in the image processing, pixel binning, dynamic range preservation space are seen as all offering room for significant further improvement in the image delivered to the photographer. Canon have a vision where the imagine processing is so good that it is capable of transparently capturing the dynamic range of a scene and converting it into a JPEG in a way that for most consumers cuts out blown highlights and detail lost in shadow without further processing."

26th The 50D is released - table below updated. Next August for the 60D or was the 50D just moved ahead for competition reasons?

21st The 40D to 50D update is compared to the 20D/30D update in a post from someone who claims to have used one [DPR] - first mention of a 60D we see :-)

July 8th Is a 40D refresh being moved from the expected 18 month cycle (we'll see it at PMA in 2009) or will new sensor technology make it into the 50D for Photokina [potn]

Whilst I've been sent various info on the new sensor developments, the only line that was slated for potentially moving to annual updates was the bottom end of the DSLR range.

Meanwhile here's the recent history of similar models

Model

Announced

Effective pixels

Auto focus

Continuous (JPEG)

LCD monitor

EOS D30

Apr 2000

3.1 mp

3 point

3.0 fps, 3 frames

1.8"

EOS D60

Feb 2002

6.3 mp

3 point

3.3 fps, 8 frames

1.8"

EOS 10D

Feb 2003

6.3 mp

7 point

3.3 fps, 9 frames

1.8"

EOS 20D

Aug 2004

8.2 mp

9 point

5.0 fps, 23 frames

1.8"

EOS 30D

Feb 2006

8.2 mp

9 point

5.0 / 3.0 fps, 30 frames

2.5"

EOS 40D

Aug 2007

10.1 mp

9 point

6.5 / 3.0 fps, 85 frames

3.0" (Live view)

EOS 50D

Aug 2008

15.1 mp

9 point

6.3 / 3.0 fps, 60/90 frames

3.0" VGA

Our most recent info (originally on our 1Ds3 page) about Canon's plans over the next few years was sent in August (shortly before the 40D was announced)

Sensor technology - Canon have mentioned that full frame sensor chips need two stepper passes. Sony now has the technology to do this in one pass and are preparing their own sensors and selling to them Nikon. However, Canon have a new 'one pass' technology too. What's more, it can do even larger than 35mm (36x24mm) in a single pass.

Canon is very excited about a next generation CMOS sensors they are working on. Two full frame versions have 40M and 50M pixels at the -same- noise level as the current 1D series. Low power supply voltages give cooler chips and lower noise even with smaller pixels. Different circuit fabrication techniques also promise to make close to 100% of the sensor area active pixels. This technology won't make any of the upcoming models, but is expected in 2009/10.

The competition - Canon were somewhat shocked by the success of the Nikon D80, D40 and D40X. Hence the 'improved' 40D and the improved 400D replacement in the works. Canon know what Nikon have coming (D300 and D3) and have planned the 40D, 1Ds III and 1D III as their answers.

However Nikon is moving to CMOS sensors to over the next couple of years. Sony are moving CMOS to a near full frame (1.25 or so) and full (35mm) FF, so Canon is getting serious and starting to plan some aggressive upgrades.

Sony worries Canon somewhat, since with their manufacturing capabilities, they could move the whole price base down for SLRs. So far they haven’t and their lens prices and range are not a worry for Canon. The current Sony Alpha has been less than astounding in the market.

Moreover, Nikon have the camera credibility and certainly won’t stop with the D3 and D300. Their plans for the lower end (D40-D80 as well) are to replace them in much shorter timeframes than their previous 3-4 years. Nikon have moved emphasis from the low end 'point and shoot' digital into R&D on the DLSRs. They've found this to be 3-4 times as profitable (note Nikon's record profits over last 12 months). Nikon is more than happy with trouncing Canon for the last 12 months in Japan (not so world wide). So the next 2-3 years will see a major DSLR feature 'war'.

IS Technology - This is being introduced in some of their consumer grade lenses. The technology has matured to the point that it can be added at only a small price premium. It gives product differentiation - a reaction to Sony and keeps them ahead of Nikon.

Digic IV - Digic III just won't cut it for the new high density sensors. Digic IV can deal with with the transfer rates for higher bit per pixel images. One Digic IV chip beats the two Digic III in the 1D3.

16 bit RAW - Canon's target for their next generation of sensors is 16 bits per channel giving true HD quality. They are also looking at processing formats to retain that extra definition.

ISO sensitivity - Canon see their next generation lower voltage CMOS as easily doing ISO6400, with a boost to 12800.